Synopsis: With the Northern City under construction, Micah and Eden’s lives are about to change again, when Micah is given new directions. It’s time for the Watchers, the fallen angels buried in the earth, to make their final choice—serve the captain or choose to remain loyal to Semjaza, the dark leader who led them to their downfall. Micah soon learns, however, that Eden is the one thing Semjaza wants more than anything, and he will go to great lengths to obtain her.

Torn between fulfilling his mission and not wanting to leave the ones he cares about, Micah must learn what it truly means to be the captain’s seer. Eden’s friends will be tested as they try to protect her, while each one of them discover there may be more to their gifts than they’d thought. In the war between angels and demons, gifts will be discovered and truths uncovered. All the while, one moment of weakness can prove to be the undoing of them all.

Holy and the Fallen is the exciting squeal to The Awakener by Amanda Strong.

“Gabriel?” Eden called softly. It was late, she knew she should be sleeping, but talking about him today with her parents had left a void in her heart. Her once again, one-sided conversations were not as comforting as they used to be.

“I guess I got a bit spoiled seeing you so much,” she admitted, staring off into the distance. “You probably ran straight to the angel council and told them to fix it so I couldn’t. Was it that bad? Me seeing you?”

She felt nothing and sighed. “I know you said it made things complicated.” Again nothing.

“Gabriel? Hey, are you there still?” She tried to push the panic down and gripped her blankets tighter. Nothing.

Now her eyes roamed her room, darting to her floor just to make sure there were no claws coming out from under her bed. She knew she was being ridiculous. He was always there. Maybe she wasn’t focusing on the good feeling. Maybe if she just held still and stopped freaking out, she’d feel the calmness and know he was there. Maybe…

She felt something else. A cold, draining sensation in her back. It spread down her limbs, leaving her wrist searing in pain. Eden doubled over, gripping her arm to her chest.

“Gabriel!” she gasped. She peeked down just to make sure no blood oozed out. Her flesh remained intact, pink and healthy, but her insides screamed, like her bones were being snapped in two. Pain rocketed her whole frame, shooting from two points of origin—where the demon had nearly bitten her hand off and where Oeillet’s staff had punctured her back.

She curled into a fetal position, hugging her knees, pinching her eyes shut, trying to manage the agony. When her lungs refused to fill with air, she panicked. Oh my gosh!I’m suffocating! She tried to scream for help, but nothing came out but mangled sounds. Hot pain coursed through her chest, wrapping around her heart like fingers made of fire. What’s happening! She saw no demon, no staff protruding from her heart, but it felt like one was there.

Gabriel, where are you?

“Eden!” a voice bellowed at the same time white light shot through her room. Arms wrapped around her and pulled her from her bed. A hand brushed hair from her face, clearing her vision. Bright blue eyes gazed back at her, practically buried under the furrowed brow line.

“Gabriel,” she gasped through gritted teeth.

“Eden, what’s wrong?” While holding her, his eyes scanned her body. “What’s happened to you? Where are you hurt?”

She clutched at her chest and tried to speak, but nothing came out. His eyes widened. With one swift motion, he laid her down and placed both hands on her head. Shutting his eyes, he moved his hands down her frame, lightly touching her shoulders, arms, wrist, back, and torso. He stopped where the staff had punctured her months ago. A stream of fluid words came from his mouth, none of which she understood.

“Curses,” he muttered in English. “I should’ve known.”

About the Author:

Born in Dekalb, Illinois, Amanda Strong has called Utah, Arizona, Hawaii, Virginia, and now New Mexico home. She has loved to spin tales since childhood. It was not uncommon to find her hiding in some random corner, scribbling away in her spiral-bound notebook, with her bright pink glasses. You could say some things have not changed.

Amanda signed with Clean Teen Publishing in the fall of 2013. She is the author of two paranormal, YA series: The Watchers of Men and Monsters Among Us.

The first novel in The Watchers of Men series, The Awakener, debuted in October of 2013. It has been an Amazon number one best seller in three Young Adult categories. Book two, The Holy and The Fallen, released May 12th of 2015. She is currently working on book three, The Watcher’s Mark, releasing spring of 2016.

Hidden Monster released November 4th of 2014, and it finished as a Finalist in the 2014 USA Best Book Award: Young Adult Category. It is book one of a brand-new young adult, sci-fi thriller series called Monsters Among Us.

When Amanda isn't writing, you can find her chasing her three rambunctious children around the house and spending time with her wonderful and supportive husband. On some occasions, you can still find Amanda with her not-so-pink glasses, hiding in a corner reading her favorite young adult fantasy novels or working out only to blow her diet by eating ice cream.